2012 Kentucky Derby Horses That Can Run in Heat: Union Rags Not Among Them

Written by :

Dan Shapiro

Published on :

5 May, 2012

While we aren’t quite sure whether the rains will come, one thing is for sure, the 2012 Kentucky Derby is going to be a hot one with temperatures flirting with 88 degrees. This could go down as one of the hottest – if not THE hottest – Kentucky Derby on record. Get all the latest Derby odds here at Betonline.

We have a little bit of a preview of which 2012 Derby horses should be able to take the heat and one that will have some issues.

I’ll Have Another, who is also a good mudder, had no issue with the heat this week. If not for the fact he was taking off from a post position that has never won a Derby before, we might consider this horse under these circumstances at 12/1.

Ironically it is the other post position, number 17, that has never produced a Derby winner and the horse in that spot, Done Talking, has demonstrated he, too, does not mind the heat.

The favourite, Union Rags, on the other hand, was sweating profusely this week.

John Ward, who trained Monarchos to his 2001 Derby win, told the Daily Racing Form he doesn’t recall extreme temperatures compromising either his horse or anyone else’s before the race.

“We had just come out of Florida, so we were used to it,” Ward said. “Monarchos didn’t get hot, and in the paddock, I do remember thinking all the horses weren’t really affected by the heat. When you leave the paddock and go out the tunnel and onto the track at Churchill, the air starts to move around again, and whatever sweat they have on them will dry off.”

The exception to the rule might be a nervous horse that continues to sweat profusely, Ward noted.

Here were your latest 2012 Kentucky Derby odds courtesy of our friends at BetOnline.

DADDY LONG LEGS C O'DONOGHU 30

OPTIMIZER J COURT 50

TAKE CHARGE INDY C BOREL 15

UNION RAGS J LEPAROUX 4½

DULLAHAN K DESORMEAU 8

BODEMEISTER M SMITH 4

ROUSING SERMON J LEZCANO 50

CREATIVE CAUSE J ROSARIO 12

TRINNIBERG W MARTINEZ 50

DADDY NOSE BEST G GOMEZ 15